Citizen-Soldiers Book 1: Exile
by The3xile
Summary: This is the story of a man who finds a meaning in life: Defending the innocent and stopping the men who took over his home city. Based before the Avengers movie by marvel. Rated T for language. The characters from the Avengers and will not come in until later on in the series, and other Marvel heroes will come in also later on in the series.
1. Chapter 1: Pale Moonlight

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Entertainment, DC Entertainment, or any other thing that affiliates with this series. I only own the created characters, places, etc. Constructive Criticism is welcome, but please no flames.**

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Prologue

"You traveled the world... Now you must journey inwards...there is no turning back. Your parents' death was not your fault. Your training is nothing. If you make yourself more than just a man, you become something else entirely. Are you ready to begin?"

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Chapter 1: Pale Moonlight.

My name is John Cross, I'm the son of billionaire Charlie Cross and Samantha Cross. I witnessed my parents' murder at the age of 9. For all of my life I always remember the cold chill of the night. The blood of my mother and father running together on the alleyway. The pale moonlight. The Citadel Police Department found the killer that night, and he was taken into custody. I was raised by my family's butler, Edward Mitchel, who has served my family all his life, just like his father. Ten years after my parents' murder, I witnessed his parents' murder's trial. I planned on killing the murderer, but the mob killed him before I could. I told my longtime best friend, Alyx Vance, about my plan to kill my parents' killer after he was killed. She was enraged about it. I left Citadel to find a meaning for my life. Two years after I left, I was put in a foreign prison. I sat in my cell, staring out into the pale moonlight, alone.

The next day, I got into a fist fight with a few prisoners. I was thrown into my cell to "Protect the other prisoners from you." As the guard told me. The door slammed shut and I looked out the window.

"Do you like getting into fights? Four men are plenty to fight hand-to-hand." A voice said from the corner.

"Um, there were five of them." I replied to the man.

"I counted four, Mr. Cross." The man said.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"The world is too small for a man such as yourself to disappear, no matter how deep he goes." The man replied coming out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Zach Zsasz. I speak for Achilles Davenport, leader of the Shadow Brotherhood." The man, Zach, said.

"And what do you want of me?" I asked, taking a drink from the sink.

"You have been searching the world for a point in life. I will give you one. Tomorrow you will be thrown out of this prison. If you wish to join us, you will go to the top of that mountain. There will be a village, and a mansion of sorts. The mansion is the Brotherhood's. I hope to see you there, John." Zach said as he opened the cell door and left. I sat there the entire night thinking about whether I should take up Zach's offer or not. I looked out into the pale moonlight and decided I would travel to the top of the mountain and except Zach's offer.

The next day, I was thrown from a transport vehicle onto the road. I stood up, dusted off my clothes, grabbed my bag, and started walking.

**So what do you guys think? I'm excepting any constructive criticism, but NO FLAMES! Please! **


	2. Chapter 2: Training

**Chapter 2: Training**

I walked up the mountain, getting colder each step i took. I seen the village that Zach told me about me about. I seen the smoke from the villagers' fireplaces, and i smelled something cooking. By the time i had reached the middle of the village, everyone was inside.

"Hello? Anyone here? I guess you guys don't visitors often, do you?" I said out to the villagers. I kept walking, but stopped when i heard something. I looked up at the rooftops and seen people on them, they were dressed in black and had hoods on covering their faces. I knew something was wrong, so i prepared myself for a fight. I was right, and they jumped down and all rushed at me. I waited until they got close, then I tripped two of them and tackled another. I punched the one I tackled, and then felt someone grab me. I turned, grabbed their arm. I brought my elbow down on his arm, and he screamed from the pain of his bone piecing through his arm. Blood was on the ground, and then a voice yelled from the crowd of my attackers.

"John! That is enough now. Men, return to your homes. Warren, take Marty to the medic. John, follow me." The man said as i realized who it was.

"Zach! Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was you." I replied to him.

"It's fine, John, Marty's had worse done to him." Zach replied to me. I followed him to the mansion, and he introduced me to Achilles Davenport. I told Zach about my life, where i lived, and how my parents died, and my greatest fear: having nothing. No friends, no family, no life. I was inducted into the Shadow Brotherhood months later after basic training. Afterwards, Zach started showing me the techniques of the Shadow, such as using a mixture of gunpowder and other materials to make a black smoke, and teaching me how to climb a cliff and hiding in plain sight. My main fighting training began 1 year after I started training.

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We were at a frozen lake near the village. Before we started, Zach sat me down and told me about his life. He had a wife, but she was taken away from him. He lived in America until he was young, but he never knew his parent, for they were killed when he was young. He was a mercenary for a short time, until he met his wife. Then he said to me,

"You traveled the world... Now you must journey inwards...there is no turning back. If you make yourself more than just a man, you become something else entirely. Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes, I am ready." I replied to him. We both got on the lake and drew our swords. We clashed together for a bit and he started gaining the upper hand. He pinned me down on the ground and said,

"I've got you."

"No you don't, you left yourself open to be tripped." I replied as I tripped him. We clashed for a while longer, then he started talking to me, making me angry.

"Your parents death was not your fault." He said as he slashed at me with the sword.

"I could've done something!"I said as I slashed back.

"No, you could have not. You were too weak. You still are." He said back to me.

"No I'm not!" I yelled as I went for his ankle, but he deflected it.

"You won't be able to save anyone. Edward, your cousin Jack, Alyx, just to name a few." Zach said.

"NO! YOU WILL NOT TOUCH HER!" I screamed as I charged at him and knocked him over.

"Now...now I have you." I said.

"No you don't. You just left open your footing. Keep an eye on your area around you." Zach told me as he hit the ice with his sword and I fell into the lake. He helped me out, and we left for the Brotherhood's Mansion.

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5 more years passed, and I became more than just a man. I became a shadow. A warrior. I became one of the best fighters that Achilles has ever seen, and he put me up to the level of Zach. He told me I had one final test: to kill him. I was astounded, but no one else was. I refused to kill him. Zach took me over to a corner and talked to me.

"John, you cannot deny Achilles. He created us. He wants you to replace him as the leader of the Shadow. He wants you to fulfill what he could never have done." Zach said.

"And what is that?" I asked.

"To invade and destroy Citadel. It is overrun with thieves, killer, criminals, and the mob. The only way to save it is to destroy it." Zach replied. I knew I couldn't destroy Citadel, let alone kill someone. I looked up into Zach's eyes and said to him,

"I am sorry my friend, but i cannot let you do that." I flipped one of the canisters of fire and it went straight into the hay pit. I tackled Zach and knocked him out. I looked over and i seen that the fire had spread quickly. It made some boards fall from the roof, and it killed almost all of the Shadow. I seen Achilles fall through the ground and I knew I had to get the hell outta there, so I ran with Zach over my shoulder, and ran through the wall onto the mountain. We started sliding, and we fell into the river hundreds of feet under us, along with most of the remnants of the mansion following us. We landed in the water, and i dragged Zach onto shore before the mansion landed on us. I left him there, and I walked away.

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I found a small town, and I called Edward, asking for him to pick me up at a nearby airfield. He arrived shortly after in a jet.

"Nice ride." I said to him.

"Thank you, Master Cross. I am delighted to see you, sir." Edward replied.

"I'm glad to see you too, Edward. Shall we be going back to Citadel?" I asked.

"Yes, right away, sir. What do you want me to tell the press?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, legally Sir, Cross Enterprises ha announced you dead." Edward told me.

"Well, Uh, tell them I was away traveling I guess. I know you can come up with something Edward." I told him as I boarded the jet and laid down in the bed. I fell asleep, and I dreamed of seeing Alyx after so long.

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**How'd you guys like this chapter? Let me know! No flames please, but constructive criticism is always welcome!**


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